Alone In The Forest
by Jessanine Angel
Summary: When the death of ThunderClan's hero occurs, the newly christened Bramblestar is left unconfident in his ability to lead his clan. With new threats appearing around the lake, will Bramblestar be able to live up to the legacy left by Firestar?


Okay... This is my first shot at writing fanfiction. Please R&R, and tell me how you like it!

Jess

ALLEGIANCES

**LEADER:** Firestar – Ginger tom with green eyes

(A): Blossompaw

**DEPUTY:** Brambleclaw – Brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**MEDICINE CAT: **Leafpool – Pale tabby she-cat with white paws and chest, amber eyes

(A): Jayfeather – Gray tabby tom with blue eyes, blind

**WARRIORS:**

Graystripe – Gray long-haired tom with darker stripe along spine, amber eyes

Sandstorm – Pale ginger tabby she-cat with lighter stripes, green eyes

(A): Briarpaw

Dustpelt – Dark brown tom with amber eyes

Brackenfur – Golden brown tom with amber eyes

Cloudtail – White long-haired tom with blue eyes

Thornclaw – Golden tabby tom with green eyes

Squirrelflight – Dark ginger long-haired she-cat with green eyes and one white paw

(A): Foxpaw

Ferncloud – Pale gray she-cat (with darker flecks), green eyes

Millie – Pale gray she-cat with green eyes

Hazeltail – Gray and white tabby she-cat, green eyes

Berrynose – Cream-colored tom with amber eyes

Honeyfoot – Golden brown she-cat with green eyes

Sorreltail – Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes

Cinderstripe – Gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Mousewhisker – Gray and white tabby tom with amber eyes

Hollyheart – Black she-cat with green eyes

Lionclaw – Golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Poppypelt – Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Spiderleg – Black long-legged tom with brown underbelly and legs with amber eyes

Whitewing – Small white she-cat with green eyes

(A): Icepaw

Birchfall – Pale brown tom with amber eyes

**APPRENTICES:**

Icepaw – White she-cat with blue eyes

Foxpaw – Russet tom with amber eyes

Blossompaw – Cream-colored she-cat with amber eyes and one black paw

Briarpaw – Light brown tom with green eyes and darker patches

**QUEENS:**

Brightheart – White she-cat with ginger patches, amber eyes

Daisy – Cream-colored she-cat with green eyes

**ELDERS:**

Longtail – Pale tabby tom with black stripes, retired early because of failing eyesight

Mousefur – Dusky brown she-cat with amber eyes, oldest cat in ThunderClan

**PROLOGUE:**

All was peaceful in the forest. A slight breeze rustled the leaves, casting dappled shadows over the five cats under the canopy. The leader, a tom with a brilliant fiery pelt, glanced around, then spoke to a smaller she-cat beside him.

"Scent anything, Blossompaw?" Blossompaw tipped her nose in the air, inhaling deeply. The fur along her spine rippled as she glanced at her mentor in alarm.

"Badger!" She crouched instinctively, lashing her tail fearfully. The ginger tom's whiskers twitched. "Anything else?" Blossompaw cautiously sniffed again, then relaxed. "It's stale." She mewed. "A few days old, I think."

"She's right, Firestar." Another tom padded up to them. "There hasn't been a badger around here for at least a quarter-moon." Firestar nodded.

"Very good, Blossompaw." He meowed. Blossompaw's tail curled up under her mentor's praise. Firestar smiled affectionately at the apprentice, then turned back to the other tom.

"Berrynose, where are Dustpelt and Honeyfoot?" Berrynose flicked his tail towards the clearing the cats had just left.

"A little ways back. Dustpelt said he saw a huge rabbit just lazing about under the trees, and he was going to try and catch it."

At that moment, Honeyfoot, a beautiful golden-brown she-cat, came bounding over the ridge. "We got it!" She called excitedly. Dustpelt followed more slowly, carrying a giant rabbit in his jaws.

"Keep it down." He mumbled around the rabbit's scruff. "Do you want to scare off all of the prey in the forest?"

"Sorry." Honeyfoot replied. She looked at Blossompaw. "Have you caught anything yet?" She asked. Blossompaw shook her head. "No, not yet." Firestar nudged her gently. "Try again. This is a good place for mice. "  
Blossompaw lifted her head and took a deep breath. Almost immediately, a strong, noxious scent hit her nostrils, causing her to stumble back in a coughing fit.

"What is _that_?" She gasped, eyes watering. Dustpelt and Firestar glanced at each other. Her mentor paused, then lifted his nose. She watched as Firestar let out a gasp, then shook his head wildly to clear the scent.

"I'm not sure. It smells like a mix between a badger and a fox. Only worse." Dustpelt and Berrynose, you come with me. Honeyfoot, stay with Blossompaw." The three toms headed past Honeyfoot and Blossompaw, and crept over the other side of the hill.

"What do you think it is?" Blossompaw whispered to her friend. She felt almost certain it was something dangerous; only something bad could smell as terrible as the stench that had invaded her nostrils.

Honeyfoot appeared lost in thought, and took a moment to answer. "Well, I'm not really sure. Firestar and Dustpelt might, though. They are senior warriors."

Blossompaw was about to reply when an earsplitting roar sliced through the air, followed by an angry caterwaul.

The fur on Honeyfoot's shoulders stood up in fear. "That sounded like Berrynose!" She gasped. "Come on, Blossompaw! They need our help!" She catapulted herself out of a sitting position, racing over the hill to aid her clanmates. Blossompaw followed, trying to swallow the growing lump in her throat. She let out a yowl of fear as she reached the top of the slope, fearfully surveying the scene unfolding before her.

A large brown creature was standing on its hind legs, roaring angrily and waving its huge paws in the air, Firestar, Berrynose, Dustpelt, and Honeyfoot were crouched around it, fur standing on end and hissing angrily. The monster roared again then brought its paws down with a heavy crash, sending Berrynose flying. The creamy tom's legs flailed helplessly as he smashed into a tree and dropped like a stone. Blossompaw gasped as he lay there, unmoving. Firestar looked up, fear flashing in his green eyes.

"Blossompaw!" He yowled, "Get yourself back to camp and bring more warriors! We can't handle this alone!" Upon hearing her leader's words, the young apprentice backed down the hill, then turned and ran like ShadowClan was chasing her. As she fled, she thought of the expression she had seen in Firestar's eyes as he had told her to run. _He was afraid_. But he was the great Firestar, she reminded herself as she pushed herself to go faster. He had kept ThunderClan together for seasons. He'd have to be all right...


End file.
